Alissa Czisny, who won her first of two national titles in Cleveland in 2009, performed even though she is still recuperating from a hip injury and had just returned to training in September.

"It's such an honor to be a part of this show," said Czisny, who was her usual exquisite self but struggled with her jumps. "I'm getting better. This is the first time I have really done anything. It hasn't been an easy process but hopefully, I will be ready for NHK [Trophy] (Nov. 23-25)."

It sounds as if Alissa is seriously considering skating at NHK. If she's still struggling with her jumps in early November, Alissa isn't going to make much of an improvement in a couple of weeks. But then she went to 2012 Worlds anyway after a disastrous showing at an International B. IMO, Alissa will further damage her reputation with ISU judges if she skates poorly at NHK.

I agree if she isn't ready she shouldn't go. And really if she is struggling this much on Nov 6 she should give up the spot and hopefully someone else can use it ie. Nagasu or better yet Osmond. But we live in a world where everyone is out for themselves so I can see Alissa holding on to the dream at the cost of some other deserving skater. Besides ironically by possibly keeping Osmond out she may help some other skater get into the GPF.

I agree if she isn't ready she shouldn't go. And really if she is struggling this much on Nov 6 she should give up the spot and hopefully someone else can use it ie. Nagasu or better yet Osmond. But we live in a world where everyone is out for themselves so I can see Alissa holding on to the dream at the cost of some other deserving skater. Besides ironically by possibly keeping Osmond out she may help some other skater get into the GPF.

This upsets me most because it isn't as though she is doing herself any favors by competing either if she is not ready. To hope to be ready by NHK based on the fact that she currently does not have the jumps seems a bit delusional. The only advantage to her going is that, of course, she probably hopes to have at least one competition at which to try out her programs before Nationals. However, surely there is a Senior B between now and then that would have her.

This does not sound promising to me at all, and I (while not a Czisny fan exactly) am someone who actually enjoys her skating and did defend her after Nationals and Worlds last year.

Yeah, 2 months of training really doesn't seem long enough to get yourself in peak condition, but I do agree that it might help her to have a competition before nationals. Mirai has competed twice this season internationally and isn't going to make the GPF anyway, so I am ok with Alyssa going even if she bombs.

Well if she is skating in all these shows maybe this is cutting into her training time. I know the issue may be money. Still if she is struggling with her double axel according to reports maybe she isn't ready.

Alissa USFS biography still lists both her programs as "TBD". Her ISU biography lists:

I take this to mean that if she skates this year, she mayl use the La Vie en Rose SP again, but there is absolutely no clue out that what she would use for an LP.

I have not considered any of this info definitive enough to add it to the Programs thread.

Thanks God she's not skating to Valse Triste again! In Italian, "Triste" means "sad", and that was really a sad program (but maybe it's just because she skated it disastrously so many times!)...

Originally Posted by Skater Boy

Well if she is skating in all these shows maybe this is cutting into her training time. I know the issue may be money. Still if she is struggling with her double axel according to reports maybe she isn't ready.

The 2A has always been a weak jump for her, the most important thing is if she has her triples: there's no chance of a good result without 3Lz, since she doesn't have a 3-3...

Well if she is skating in all these shows maybe this is cutting into her training time. I know the issue may be money. Still if she is struggling with her double axel according to reports maybe she isn't ready.

in the case of Scott Hamilton's show (Scott Cares) I think all the skaters end up donating any appearance fee to the cause.